California

The Coalition on Coalitions (CoCs) supports NAMM members and their networks working on state-level music and arts education advocacy efforts. The California network provides tactics, resources and best practices to move and improve state-level policies, funding and advocacy for music and arts education.

Action Alert

Calling on organizations across California representing arts, education, parents, business, and more to sign on to support SB 933. Please download the support letter template and follow the instructions below by Friday, March 23, 2018 to make your voice heard in the legislature on this matter.

California Education Code states that every K-12 student shall receive instruction in and access to arts education. Yet the California Arts Education Data Project concludes that only 39% of students in California public schools have access to the arts, and that access is significantly lower in low-income and rural schools. We know the arts prepare our students to enter the workforce by fostering skills that include innovation, persistence, and collaboration. In addition, the creative industries account for one out of every ten jobs in California and provide $273 billion annually to our state’s economy. Access to arts education instruction should not be determined by where a student happens to live. But the data shows otherwise: in districts and schools in low-income communities, students are twice as likely not to receive the benefits of arts instruction when compared to more affluent communities.

This inequity is unacceptable. That is why we are supporting the passage and funding of SB 933. Every student deserves the benefits of arts education. SB 933 honors the promise of our Education Code by helping to ensure that the arts are part of the education that every student receives.

Resources

Coalition on Coalitions NAMM Member Resources

Coalition on Coalitions Dashboard, The CoCs dashboard on NAMM.org, serves as a nexus of information regarding specific state-focused music education advocacy efforts. The dashboard features a thumbnail summary of action alerts, status updates, NAMM Member contacts, and state-specific resources for active state coalitions in various stages of network.

Advocacy and Issue Training, Live and recorded webinars are available to connect, assist and advise NAMM members about current opportunities and ongoing state-specific efforts.

State Advocacy Opportunities, Regularly updated information regarding needed state-advocacy action. As an example: State education associations are holding “listening tours” across the U.S. in town hall-style meetings and/or they are accepting input by email or via web-based surveys. Action is needed now to ensure that every student in your state benefits from new opportunities in music education.

State Coalition Bootcamp at The 2017 NAMM Show, This half-day workshop was held on Tuesday January 17 and provided state coalition teams with hands-on advocacy training. Listen to audio files here:

Advocacy at the Grassroots. Laurie Schell, Music Makes Us Nashville. Audio Recording.

Coalition on Coalitions Forum at The 2017 NAMM Show, This meeting was held on Friday, January 20 and provided an overview of current policy opportunities and updates on state activity featuring updates from NAMM Member state coalition leaders. Listen to audio files here:

AFTA Resources and How to Advance Arts-friendly Policies in Education. Jeff Poulin, Americans for the Arts. Audio Recording.

Coalition on Coalitions Forum at The 2018 NAMM Show, This meeting will be held on Friday January 26 and will provide an overview of current policy opportunities and updates on state activity featuring updates from NAMM Member state coalition leaders. Open to all NAMM Show attendees. RSVP link coming soon.